The Record
22 hours, 5 minutes, 42 seconds. An average speed of 52.3 knots sustained across 1,120 nautical miles. This is the Monaco to Venice record, set by Fabio Buzzi and his crew in July 2016 - and it stands as one of the most demanding endurance powerboat records in the world.
The route begins at Port Hercule in Monaco - the iconic harbor of the Monte Carlo Casino and the Formula 1 Grand Prix. From there, it traces the Italian Riviera past Genoa, Portofino, and Cinque Terre. The boat rounds the boot of Italy, passing through the Strait of Messina between Sicily and the mainland, then heads north through the Adriatic to finish at the Lido di Venezia.
The FB 60: The record-setting vessel was not a purpose-built racing machine but an FB Design 60-foot rescue vessel powered by twin MTU 1600hp engines. This was the first time a rescue vessel - designed for reliability and seaworthiness rather than pure speed - had set a long-distance record. It proved that endurance and reliability could matter more than raw power.
Record History
| Year | Time | Holder | Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 22h 05m 42s | Buzzi, Invernizzi, Binda, Hoorn, Gibelli | FB 60 rescue vessel |
| 2011 | 22h 13m 17s | Mario Invernizzi, Peter Dredge | Kerakoll (FB Design racing boat) |
| Pre-2011 | 23h 55m | Unknown | Unknown |
The Buzzi Legend
Fabio Buzzi was not just a record holder - he was the most accomplished powerboat racer and designer of his generation. Perhaps of any generation.
52 World Championships. 40 world speed records. 7 Harmsworth Trophies. Buzzi founded FB Design, the shipyard that revolutionized offshore racing with glass-reinforced polymer hulls, turbocharged engines, and integral surface drives. At age 75, he set a diesel speed record of 277.5 km/h on Lake Como. He was still racing, still pushing, still chasing records into his mid-seventies. The Monaco-Venice record was just one more line in a career that defined modern powerboat racing.
September 17, 2019
Three years after setting the record, 76-year-old Fabio Buzzi returned to break his own time. What followed was one of the darkest days in powerboat racing history.
Fabio Buzzi (1943-2019) - Designer, racer, visionary. 52 World Championships, 40 world records.
Luca Nicolini - Crew member
Erik Hoorn - Crew member, survivor of the 2016 record run
Mario Invernizzi, also aboard, survived with injuries.
The team departed Monaco and completed the 1,120-nautical-mile journey successfully. Reports indicated they had set a new record. But as they approached the finish line at Lido di Venezia, in the darkness before dawn, the boat struck the San Nicoletto dam - part of the MOSE flood barrier system protecting Venice from acqua alta.
The boat was traveling at approximately 80 knots (92 mph / 148 km/h) when it struck the partially submerged barrier. The vessel flew an estimated 30 meters through the air after impact. Three of the four crew members were killed instantly. Buzzi had apparently misjudged the approach into the Venice lagoon in the darkness.
The tragedy served as a brutal reminder that speed records carry real risk. Buzzi had spent sixty years cheating death at high speed on the water. In the end, it was not the open sea that claimed him, but the approach to the finish line - a navigation error in waters he may not have known as well as the routes he had run thousands of times.
"He died doing what he loved, chasing what he had always chased. But the cost was too high. Three men, 30 meters from completing the record. It is difficult to celebrate speed when we remember what it can take from us."
The 2019 tragedy underscores critical safety considerations: know your approach waters intimately, reduce speed in unfamiliar or hazardous areas regardless of record pressures, and ensure all crew are aware of potential obstacles. The MOSE barriers were a known construction project. Better route planning and reduced approach speed could have prevented this disaster.
How to Break This Record
The record of 22:05:42 stands. Breaking it means averaging more than 52.3 knots for over 1,100 nautical miles. It also means doing what Buzzi could not - finishing safely.
Target time: 21:30:00
Required average: 52.1 knots sustained
With weather delays: Peak speeds 60+ knots needed
The mathematics of endurance speed records are unforgiving. Sustaining 52+ knots for 22 hours requires extraordinary mechanical reliability, perfect weather cooperation, and crew endurance that borders on superhuman. Every slowdown - for fuel, for weather, for navigation - must be compensated with higher sustained speeds elsewhere.
Strategy 1: Weather Window Perfection
The Mediterranean is not the open ocean, but it presents its own challenges. Three distinct seas - Ligurian, Tyrrhenian, and Adriatic - each have their own weather patterns. The window for a record attempt is narrow.
- Summer months (June-August) offer most stable conditions
- Bora wind in northern Adriatic can halt any attempt
- Light winds in Tyrrhenian typical in high summer
- Night running unavoidable for 22-hour attempt - moonlight helps
Strategy 2: The Venice Approach
After the 2019 tragedy, any future record attempt must account for the hazards approaching Venice. The MOSE barriers, artificial reefs, and marked channels all require careful navigation - especially at night.
Reduce Speed Before Lido: No record is worth dying for. Plan to reduce speed significantly for the final 10-20 nautical miles approaching Venice. A two-minute time loss is nothing compared to the alternative. Know the exact location of all obstacles, coordinate with Venice port authorities, and approach with extreme caution regardless of competitive pressure.
Strategy 3: The Strait of Messina
The narrow strait between Sicily and mainland Italy presents unique challenges: strong currents, heavy commercial traffic, and constantly changing conditions. Timing passage for optimal current assistance can save significant time.
| Strait Condition | Current | Effect on Time |
|---|---|---|
| Favorable (with current) | +3-4 knots | Save 10-15 minutes |
| Neutral (slack) | 0 knots | Standard time |
| Adverse (against current) | -3-4 knots | Lose 15-20 minutes |
Target time: 20:45:00
Required average: 54.0 knots sustained
Assessment: Requires perfect conditions and faster vessel
A sub-21 hour time would represent a major improvement over the existing record. It would require both technical advancement in vessel design and execution perfection. This is a multi-year project, not a casual attempt.
Vessel Selection
Buzzi's 2016 record was set in a rescue vessel - proof that reliability and seaworthiness matter as much as raw speed over 1,100 miles. Future record attempts must balance power with endurance.
The FB Design Paradigm
FB Design vessels, created by Buzzi's own shipyard, have dominated this route. The combination of advanced hull design, powerful but reliable diesel engines, and ocean-crossing capability makes them the standard against which all challengers are measured.
"The proven platform. Buzzi designed these vessels for exactly this kind of challenge - long distance, high speed, punishing conditions. The institutional knowledge embedded in FB Design craft is irreplaceable."
Contact Builder"Pure racing boats offer higher top speeds but often sacrifice reliability and range. A Class 1 offshore racer can hit 100+ mph but may not survive 22 hours of continuous operation. The balance is critical."
View OptionsPower Plant Considerations
22 hours at full throttle demands engines built for continuous duty. Marine diesel engines designed for commercial or military applications offer the reliability needed. Racing gasoline engines may not survive the duration.
| Engine Type | Power Range | Reliability | 22hr Suitability |
|---|---|---|---|
| MTU Marine Diesel | 1,500-2,600 hp | Excellent | Proven |
| MAN Marine Diesel | 1,400-2,000 hp | Excellent | Proven |
| Caterpillar Marine | 1,200-2,000 hp | Excellent | Proven |
| Racing Gasoline | 1,000-2,500 hp | Variable | Risky |
The difference between a record and a DNF is often a single component failure. Over 22 hours at 52+ knots, every system is stressed continuously. Engine cooling, fuel systems, steering, navigation electronics - any failure can end the attempt. Redundancy and quality components are not luxuries; they are requirements.
Weather & Seas
Three seas, 1,120 miles, 22 hours. The Mediterranean may lack the massive swells of the open ocean, but it presents its own challenges - and the Bora wind can halt any attempt instantly.
The Three Sea Crossing
Ligurian Sea (Monaco to Livorno)
Generally the calmest section in summer. The Italian Riviera provides some shelter. Typical conditions allow for maximum speed running. Distance: approximately 250 nm.
Tyrrhenian Sea (Livorno to Messina)
Open water crossing with potential for short, steep seas. Passes islands of Elba and sees Sicily/Sardinia. The Strait of Messina presents current challenges. Distance: approximately 500 nm.
Adriatic Sea (Messina to Venice): The Adriatic is where records are made or broken. The Bora wind - a fierce katabatic wind from the northeast - can generate dangerous seas with minimal warning. In the northern Adriatic approaching Venice, the Bora has been clocked at over 100 km/h. Any record attempt must time the Adriatic passage carefully. Distance: approximately 400 nm.
The Bora Factor
The Bora is the single greatest weather threat to this record. It can develop rapidly, transforming the Adriatic from millpond to maelstrom in hours. Understanding the forecast signals is critical.
| Bora Condition | Wind Speed | Sea State | Attempt Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| No Bora | < 10 kts | Calm/Light chop | Full Speed |
| Light Bora | 10-20 kts | Moderate seas | Reduced Speed |
| Moderate Bora | 20-35 kts | Rough seas | Abort |
| Strong Bora | 35+ kts | Dangerous | Impossible |
Optimal Weather Window
Perfect conditions - light winds across all three seas, no Bora forecast, stable pressure - may occur only a handful of times per summer season. A serious record attempt requires flexibility to launch on short notice when the window opens.
A 22-hour run means approximately half the route is covered in darkness. The Strait of Messina at night, the approach to Venice at night - both present significant challenges. Radar, GPS, and local knowledge are essential. The 2019 tragedy occurred in the dark hours approaching Venice. Plan night sections with extreme care.
Equipment Deep Dive
22 hours at 50+ knots through three seas demands equipment that functions flawlessly under continuous stress. Redundancy is not optional - it is survival.
Navigation Systems
"Single point failure in navigation at 50 knots at night is potentially fatal. Dual independent systems - separate power, separate displays, separate GPS receivers - provide the redundancy needed for 22-hour operations."
View Systems"At 50 knots, you cover a nautical mile in just over a minute. Radar must provide enough warning to identify and avoid obstacles, other vessels, and weather. Long-range, high-quality radar is essential for night operations."
Check PricesSafety Equipment
"A 1,100-mile crossing in a powerboat at race speeds carries real risk. Structural failure, fire, or collision could require immediate abandonment. An offshore-rated life raft with hydrostatic release provides the safety margin that could save all crew."
View Options"Each crew member should carry a personal locator beacon. In a high-speed incident, crew may be separated. Individual PLBs ensure each person can summon rescue independently."
Check PriceCrew Endurance
"22 hours in rough seas at 50 knots subjects the human body to continuous punishment. Suspension seats dramatically reduce fatigue and prevent injury. Crew who cannot function at hour 20 cannot complete the record. This is not a comfort item - it is a performance requirement."
View Options"At 50+ knots, spray becomes painful and disorienting. Helmets protect from impacts during rough passages and provide communication capability between crew. Standard equipment in offshore racing."
View OptionsFuel & Range
"The 1,120 nm route may require one refueling stop, likely in the Naples/Messina area. A vessel with 600+ nm range can split the route into two manageable legs. Fuel stops add time but reduce risk of running dry in open water."
Custom Systems